Table 3.E Literary Structure of the Plagues Narrative

<>Table 3.E Literary Structure of the Plagues Narrative

Series	Plague	Exodus	Forewarning	Time	Instruction	Agent	Hardening
	Sign	7:1-13			"Say to Aaron, Take your rod"	Aaron	"Pharaoh's heart was hardened"
First	1. Nile to blood	7:14-24	yes	morning	"Go to Pharaoh in the morning"	Aaron	"Pharaoh's heart was hardened"
	2. Frogs	7:25-8:15	yes		"Go in to Pharaoh"	Aaron	"Pharaoh hardened his heart"
	3. Gnats	8:16-19			"Say to Aaron, Stretch your rod"	Aaron	"Pharaoh's heart was hardened"
Second	4. Flies	8:20-32	yes	morning	"Rise up early in the morning and wait for Pharaoh"	God	"Pharaoh hardened his heart"
	5. Cattle plague	9:1-7	yes		"Go in to Pharaoh"	God	"Pharaoh's heart was hardened"
	6. Boils	9:8-12			"Take handfuls of ashes"	Moses	"Yahweh hardened the heart of Pharaoh"
Third	7. Hail	9:13-35	yes	morning	"Rise up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh"	Moses	"Pharaoh's heart was hardened"
	8. Locusts	10:1-20	yes		"Go in to Pharaoh"	Moses	"Yahweh hardened Pharaoh's heart"
	9. Darkness	10:21-29			"Stretch out your hand"	Moses	"Yahweh hardened Pharaoh's heart"
Climax	10. Death of Firstborn	11:1-10	yes			God	"Yahweh hardened Pharaoh's heart"

Notice the literary symmetry of the plagues narrative. The plagues are ordered into three series of three disasters each. The tenth plague stands alone and is the climax. The symmetrical structure is established by repetitions within the narrative. Notice that a time indication is provided only for the first, fourth, and seventh plagues. No forewarning is given for the third, sixth, and ninth plagues. There is also a pattern to the instructions given to Moses.

Examine the literary symmetry and ponder its literary and theological significance. Though the plagues narrative was composed using Yahwist and Priestly source material, the final narrative is well-formed. Does the structural symmetry also suggest that these disasters, while perhaps having natural explanation, are also purposeful and divinely directed?

For further consideration of the literary structure of the plagues narrative see Greenberg (1971), Zevit (1976) and Sarna (1986).